We all know
that the winter – no matter where you live – can be a slow time for contractor. Building retaining walls and other hardscape
projects can be much slower in the rain and often stops all together in the
snowy places.
So what is
a contractor to do when winter sets in?
TRAINING!
Training is the cornerstone of any successful business, saving you
time, money and allowing you to build your business in a way that will reward
you for years to come. By making sure you and your staff have the proper
training allows you to not only build better retaining walls and outdoor
landscapes, but provides you with the tools you need to convey your knowledge
to your customer, building confidence and trust between you and the client.
While there are a wide variety of training opportunities available in
the marketplace, these allow contractors to gain knowledge and better service
their customers:
National
Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA)
The NCMA provides courses for contractor on the fundamentals of
retaining wall installation. These classes are held throughout the country and
a list of current classes can be found on their website at ncma.org.
Interlocking
Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI)
The ICPI has a certification program that certified contractors for
concrete paving and installation. This certification lasts two years and
contractors are required to take continuing education classes to maintain their
certification. Information on this
certification can be found at icpi.org.
Allan
Block Certified Contractor Program
The Allan Block Contractor Certification Program was developed to give contractors
the proper training and tools to ensure top quality retaining walls are
built. Theses training courses include
in depth materials on proper construction methods for retaining walls as well
as hands on training to really allow the contractor to get a feel for how the
products work. The courses are taught by
certified Allan Block trainers. Now certified by the ICPI as an approved class
for continuing education, contractors can enhance their knowledge of paving
stones with the knowledge of retaining walls – Making them more rounded and
valuable in the marketplace. Classes are set up locally so that you can
easily find training near you at allanblock.com/training.
Get the Skills
Through
training and on-the-job work you build the skills to provide a quality product
to the customer. Having the skills and knowledge to tackle any job site, any
project challenge with confidence is what sets you, the contractor above the
rest. As a consumer, knowing that your
contractor has the training and skills they need to do the job right gives you
peace of mind.
Provide the Service
In
this day and age where customer service seems to be a lost art, you can set
yourself apart from the competition, by providing something no other company
does – excellent customer service. When a
customer is satisfied with your knowledge, skills and presentation, you have a
client for life. And having a client
means both parties win. As a customer you win a highly skilled professional
that is ready, willing and able to meet their expectations and makes the
customer feel uniquely special at the same time. As a result, the customer is
completely satisfied with both the service and the product which in turn leads
to referrals and repeat sales. The best
advertising you can do is have a happy customer.
So what are you
doing to pass the time this winter?
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